Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) took to X on Friday to complain about the arrest of Democratic Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, suggesting that President Donald Trump’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was simply arresting people who opposed him politically.
Khanna was responding to the debacle that unfolded at Delaney Hall — a detention center being used to house criminal illegal aliens in Newark, New Jersey — when Baraka and three House Democrats joined a protest and, according to DHS, “stormed” the facility and demanded access to and oversight of the facility. They reportedly waited for the gates to open for a transport vehicle, at which point they charged through the gates and past security. Baraka was arrested at the scene, but DHS has suggested that Reps. LaMonica McIver, Bonnie Watson-Coleman, and Rob Menendez (D-NJ) could also be taken into custody if body-cam footage reveals that they broke the law.
“The Trump @JDVance Administration has just arrested a mayor in Newark and shoved Members of Congress for protesting outside of an ICE facility,” Khanna posted. “In America, you cannot arrest your political opponents.”
The Trump @JDVance Administration has just arrested a mayor in Newark and shoved Members of Congress for protesting outside of an ICE facility.
In America, you cannot arrest your political opponents. https://t.co/e1jZNUe3h0
— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) May 9, 2025
Khanna’s X feed was immediately flooded with replies from people arguing that the multiple prosecutions of President Donald Trump — on charges that he and many others agreed were politically motivated if not manufactured — were a more accurate example of a presidential administration (under then President Joe Biden) doing everything in its power to arrest and imprison a political opponent.
“In America, you cannot arrest your political opponents,” Rasmussen Reports shared the New York Post photo of Trump’s mug shot.
“In America, you cannot arrest your political opponents.”https://t.co/RltqaqMSw9 https://t.co/n01r06RmYz pic.twitter.com/RCopw9A15G
— Rasmussen Reports (@Rasmussen_Poll) May 12, 2025
“‘In America, you cannot arrest your political opponents’ said ZERO Democrats when they charged Donald Trump with more felonies than fk’ing John Gotti, using fake crimes and novel legal theories. Be better, Ro,” another posted.
“In America, you cannot arrest your political opponents” said ZERO Democrats when they charged Donald Trump with more felonies than fk’ing John Gotti, using fake crimes and novel legal theories.
Be better, Ro. https://t.co/osAnlcrAtY
— Rich Baris The People’s Pundit (@Peoples_Pundit) May 12, 2025
“In America you cannot arrest your political opponents” https://t.co/Lb5EIAa8rw pic.twitter.com/qxdCsSMbfk
— Congressman Brandon Gill (@RepBrandonGill) May 9, 2025
Dems 2025: “In America, you cannot arrest your political opponents.”
Dems 2024: https://t.co/fjhOHCkTvW pic.twitter.com/cJSl3uICh1
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 10, 2025
“In America, you cannot arrest your political opponents.”
— Democrat Congressman Ro Khanna https://t.co/bkW3sjpkVX pic.twitter.com/zoZ0Vulr4g
— Vince Dao (@VinceDaoTV) May 9, 2025
“In America, you cannot arrest your political opponents.”
…unless your opponent is President Trump apparently. https://t.co/TsunUfYICd
— Rep. Tony Wied (@RepTonyWied) May 10, 2025
Really? https://t.co/afepNSpW49 pic.twitter.com/LwVZf3AK06
— John Carney (@carney) May 10, 2025
Others pointed to Khanna’s own previous comments — namely his assertions that “no one is above the law” and “being a member of Congress doesn’t give you the right to ‘obstruct the rule of law.'”
“As the honorable Ro Khanna himself has said, being a member of Congress doesn’t give you the right to ‘obstruct the rule of law,'” Vice President JD Vance posted.
As the honorable Ro Khanna himself has said, being a member of Congress doesn’t give you the right to “obstruct the rule of law.” https://t.co/PUb9TriYvo pic.twitter.com/YEfFM9rL0X
— JD Vance (@JDVance) May 11, 2025
“I was told being a Member of Congress ‘doesn’t give you the right to obstruct the rule of law’ … by you!” Andrew Follett added.
I was told being a Member of Congress “doesn’t give you the right to obstruct the rule of law”…by you! pic.twitter.com/i2k0nr1QqE
— Andrew Follett (@AndrewCFollett) May 9, 2025
